1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressor of a refrigerator, and particularly, to an apparatus and a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator which are able to control the driving of refrigerator compressor by detecting whether there is an error in the compressor of the refrigerator.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, a refrigerator uses a vapor compression refrigeration method that freezes by repeating vaporization and condensation of a refrigerant which can be evaporated easily under a pressure similar to atmospheric pressure. Also, freon gas is widely used as the refrigerant used in the refrigerator. However, since the freon gas is one of elements destructing ozone layer, new substituting solvents are under development and R600a refrigerant is one of the new solvents. The R600a refrigerant is an environment-friendly refrigerant having 0 ozone depletion potential and 0 global warming potential, and has advantages such that injection amount is less than that of conventional refrigerant, cost for changing existing equipment and machines is less than that of conventional refrigerant, and noise generation can be reduced. Brief construction of the general refrigerator will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a brief construction of the general refrigerator.
As shown therein, the refrigerator comprises: a power source unit 100 for supplying power source; a cooling chamber 110 for storing foods in low temperature; a freezing chamber 120 for storing foods in frozen status; refrigerator doors 200 installed on front surfaces of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 and used when a user stores the foods or draws the stored foods; a temperature sensing unit 700 for sensing inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 using a temperatures sensor 10; a micro computer 600 for outputting a control signal based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 and based on the predetermined temperature by the user; a compressor 400 for generating refrigerant; and a driving unit 500 for supplying or blocking the power source to the compressor 400 in order to control a fan motor 300 and the compressor 400 based on the control signal outputted from the microcomputer 600.
FIG. 2 is an operational flow chart illustrating a method for controlling operation of the compressor in the refrigerator according to the conventional art.
As shown therein, the operation controlling method according to the conventional art comprises: a step of sensing inner temperatures in the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 when the user selects operational mode of the refrigerator (S20); a step of comparing the inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 to the predetermined temperature by the user (S21); a step of supplying power source to the compressor 400 in order to drive the compressor 400 when the inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 are higher than the predetermined temperature (S22); and a step of blocking the power source supplied to the compressor 400 in order to suspend the driving of compressor 400 when the inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 are lower than the predetermined temperature (S23).
The operation controlling method for the compressor of refrigerator according to the conventional art will be described in detail as follows. When the user selects the operational mode of the refrigerator, the temperature sensing unit 700 senses the inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 and outputs the sensed temperature information to the microcomputer 600. Herein, the temperature sensing unit 700 senses the temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 continuously, and outputs the changed temperature information to the microcomputer 600 whenever the sensed temperature is changed (S20).
The microcomputer 600 outputs a control signal to the driving unit 500 based on the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 and the predetermined temperature. Herein, when the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 is higher than the predetermined temperature, a first control signal for supplying the power source to the compressor 400 is outputted, and when the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 are lowered than the predetermined temperature, a second control signal for blocking the power source supplied to the compressor 400 is outputted (S21).
The driving unit 500 supplies or blocks the power source to the compressor 400 based on the first and second control signals outputted from the microcomputer 600 in order to control the compressor 400. Herein, the driving unit 500 receives the first control signal and supplies the power source 100 to the compressor 400 in order to drive the compressor continuously (S22). On the other hand, the driving unit 500 receives the second control signal and blocks the power source supplied to the compressor 400 in order to suspend the compressor 400.
Therefore, the method for controlling operation of the compressor in the refrigerator according to the conventional art outputs the control signal based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 and the predetermined temperature, and therefore, the driving unit 500 controls the operation of compressor 400 based on the control signal of the microcomputer 600. As a result, the inner temperatures of the cooling chamber 110 and the freezing chamber 120 can be maintained to be lower than the predetermined temperature always. Generally, the compressor of the refrigerator is operated with turning on/off period of 0.1xcx9c10 times per hour based on the temperature sensed by the temperature sensing unit 700 and the predetermined temperature.
As described above, when the refrigerator doors are closed, the compressor 400 is operated with the turning on/off period. However, even if the refrigerant is leaked when the refrigerator doors 200 are closed, the compressor 400 is operated with the turning on/off period, and thereby, the refrigerant may be exploded due to electric spark generated when the electric devices in the refrigerator are turned on/off.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for controlling operation of compressor in a refrigerator which are able to prevent an explosion due to leakage of refrigerant by controlling power source supplied to electric devices in the refrigerator based on operating time of the compressor, when refrigerator doors are closed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator which are able to prevent an explosion due to leakage of refrigerant by controlling power source supplied to electric devices in the refrigerator based on inner temperature of the refrigerator when operating time of the compressor has passed a predetermined time.
To achieve the objects of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator according to the present invention comprising: a step of supplying power source to a compressor in order to drive the compressor; a step of sensing opened/closed status of refrigerator doors continuously when the power source is supplied to the compressor; a step of comparing operating time of the compressor to a predetermined time when the refrigerator door is closed; and a step of blocking power source supplied to the compressor in order to suspend the operation of the compressor, when the operating time of the compressor is passed the predetermined time.
To achieve the another object of the present invention, there is provided a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator comprising: a step of supplying power source to the compressor in order to drive the compressor; a step of measuring operating time of the compressor continuously when the power source is supplied to the compressor; a step of comparing inner temperature of the refrigerator to a predetermined temperature when the operating time of the compressor has passed a predetermined time; and a step of blocking power source supplied to the compressor in order to suspend the operation of the compressor when the inner temperature of the refrigerator is higher than that of the predetermined temperature.
There is also provided an apparatus for controlling operation of compressor in a refrigerator comprising: a door open sensing unit for sensing opened/closed status of a door in the refrigerator; a operating time measuring unit for measuring operating time of the compressor; a microcomputer for outputting a control signal based on the opened/closed status of the refrigerator door and the measured operating time; and a driving unit supplying or blocking power source to the compressor in order to control the compressor based on the control signal.
Also, there is provided an apparatus for controlling operation of compressor in a refrigerator comprising: a temperature sensing unit for sensing inner temperature of the refrigerator; an operating time measuring unit for measuring operating time of the compressor; a microcomputer outputting a control signal based on the inner temperature and the measured operating time; and a driving unit supplying or blocking power source to the compressor in order to control the compressor based on the control signal.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.